Finding the Strength
by Pricat
Summary: Tai Lung's som Tao is up to destroying the Valley and only Po and the others can stop him along with my friend Leah and I looking for the second Dragon Warrior but it's among us. Will we stop Tao in time?
1. Arrival in the Valley of Peace

Finding the Strength

Ch 1

It was a normal day in the Valley of Peace.

The Furious Five were training but Shifu was nervous.

He'd had a vision… that two human kids would arrive and one of them was the second Dragon Warrior.

"_I wonder what's bugging Shifu?_

_He's never like this." _Po thought as he and Tigress trained against each other.

"I have to go, okay?

I'll be back in a minute." Shifu said walking.

He heard a commotion in the village and had a feeling.

Two human kids were standing in the middle of the commotion looking around.

One had short black/purple hair, glasses with a back pack and symbol cane.

The other had long chestnut hair, dark brown eyes.

She wore an Invader Zim shirt.

"Leah check it out!

We're in the Valley of Peace, Po's world.

Maybe we'll learn how to be karate masters." Carley told her.

"Yeah you're right.

This is cool.

But I'm sort of hungry." Leah replied.

Shifu then watched them.

"_The short haired girl is giving off Dragon Warrior aura._

_She and her friend must come with me before anyone finds out._

_Especially Tai Lung's son." _He thought as he approached them

"Hey what's going on?" Leah said to him.

"Who're you two?

I'm Shifu.

You have to come with me at once.

Your short haired friend will be in danger." He told them.

"I'm Leah and my friend here is Carley.

We'll come.

But you've got to explain to us what's going on." Leah told him.

"I'll explain when we get to the bunk house.

For now just trust me." Shifu replied to them as they followed him.

Po and the others were amazed when Shifu explained about the kids showing up and how one was the second Dragon Warrior.

"Hey there I'm Po.

It's pretty cool that this happened." he said to Leah.

"You too.

This is pretty cool.

Only I'm worried." she replied.

Tigress and the others watched as Carley sat under the Heavenly Peach Tree of Wisdom.

"Don't worry about Carley.

She's... sort of shy around new people until she gets to know them.

Actually Po, you and her are alike.

Only... she has confidence issues." Leah explained.

Tao, Tai Lung's son watched this.

"You think they can help you, you're wrong!" he thought biding his time.

"Umm... hey I brought food.

I... thought you might be hungry." Po told Carley as he sat down beside her.

"Thanks Po.

I guess Leah and the Furious Five are hitting it off already and giving Master Shifu a head ache." Carley replied to him smiling.

"So what does your name mean?

It's Carley right?" he said.

"Yeah you got it right.

It means free person but I don't feel that way especially since..." she replied.

"Since what?" he asked.

"Never mnd it's not important." Carlet replied to him eating.

"Yeah they're hitting it off. Leah's imitating Shifu and being nuts. I can tell Monkey and her will be partners in crime.

You know what?

I'd like to be your friend.. if you let me.

I sort... overheard Leah talking to Shifu." he told her.

He looked in her eyes seeing the look of wanting.

"Sure. I'd like that a lot.

Besides I'm like you but without fur." she replied as they looked at the stars in the night sky...


	2. The Second Dragon Warrior revealed

Finding the Strength

Ch 2

It was dawn as the short haired teen woke up.

She got up and yawned.

She then put on her glasses along with a kimono.

"_I wonder where Leah is? Probably hanging out with Po and the Furious Five no doubt." _She thought.

Leah smiled as she pulverized a rock into a zillion pieces in the training room.

Shifu and the other Masters were amazed by that even Po.

"Wow that rocked Leah!

Do… you take martial arts in your world?

You're pretty good at it." He asked her.

"Sort of. I take kick boxing." She replied as she bowed in respect to them.

Her stomach growled as she left the training room.

She entered the kitchen to find Carley there sitting at the table.

"Hey good morning Dragon Warrior." She said kissing her.

The teen smiled at that.

"W-What're you talking about? I thought Po was the Dragon Warrior.

I don't understand." She replied.

Tigress was over hearing them along with Monkey and Viper.

"Do you think she knows?" Viper asked them.

"No Viper not yet but I'm sure Leah will explain." Tigress answered.

"The Furious Five and I heard of a new prophecy that was unlocked in the Dragon Scroll.

Tai- Lung's son is after both Shifu and Po as revenge for his father.

But there is hope in the second Dragon Warrior, a human kid born in 1988, the last Year of the Dragon.

She would use her powers of a great mind and a powerful heart to help out.

Carley… You're the second Dragon Warrior." Leah explained to the teen.

"_Wow!_

_This is pretty cool but scary._

_Only they wouldn't want my help if they knew… I'm disabled and carry a cane to help me see._

_Maybe we should leave it to Po and the others._

_They're more trained to handle it._

_I'd just mess it up." _She thought as she ate breakfast.

"Carley you okay?

You haven't spoken un a while." Leah asked her.

"Sorry I... was just nervous.

Are you sure I'm the second Dragon Warrior?

I'm not very brave or strong inside, you know that, right?" she replied to her sadly.

"You are. Master Shifu said it in front of us.

I know you're not brave but you'll learn.

I believe in you." Leah told her as she walked out of there.

Tao sneered as he heard this from a spy on the inside.

"So they found the second Dragon Warrior... in a puny human.

It doesn't matter anyway.

I'll squat both Dragon Warriors into chow mein!" he yelled angrily.

Po wondered what Shifu wanted to speak to him about in private.

"It's about the second Dragon Warrior Carley.

She needs to learn how to be strong within and believe in herself enough to use her powers as a Dragon Warrior.

Since you know each other so well, I'm counting on you to be her Master and train her in body, mind and spirit.

I know you can do it.

I believe in you." Shifu told him.

"I won't let you down Master." he replied leaving the room.

He then saw Leah standing outside.

"Have you seen Carley?

I need to speak to her." he said.

"No but I know why she's nervous.

She's half blind and uses a cane but she was afraid to tell you guys in case you thought she wouldn't be the Dragon Warrior.

She's that but loyal, caring and has a great heart like you.

But she has problems believing in herself." Leah explained to him.

Po understood.

"It's okay.

I understand.

I'll treat her like she's normal the same way you do." he told her.

"Thanks. I think she's under the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom." she answered him as she joined the Furious Five in training.

Carley looked up at the sky as she leant her face on her symbol cane.

Po then joined her under the tree.

"Hey Po.

I-I didn't know you were here.

I van explain the cane." she replied to him.

"It's okay Carley I know.

Leah told me.

You can't see sides and in the dark and you lost your night vision.

You should've told us a long time ago." he replied softly.

"I didn't wanna tell you or the others because they'd make fun of me because of my sight problems.

In my world, people think I'm a loser, a joke but I have things that make me happy including you and Leah Po.

I want to be the Dragon Warrior but I know I'm gonna mess it up so what's the point?" she explained.

"I don't think you're a loser or a joke.

I think you'd be an awesome Dragon Warrior.

Besides I'm the Dragon Warrior and at first I messed up but I learned how to be a great warrior by believing in myself.

I know you need help with inner strength and believing in yourself.

It shouldn't be a problem since I am your Master!" he explained.

Hope shone in the tee's eyes.

"R-Really? You wanna train me?

In Kung fu and everything else?

That would rock!

Thanks man." she replied hugging him.

Leah and Shifu smiled watching them.

They knew with help, both Carley and Po would defeat Tao...


	3. Low in Inner Strength

Finding the Strength

Ch 3

Leah growled in annoyance as Shifu put her through more intense training.

"Why do I have to do this?

I thought Carley was the second Dragon Warriot, not me!" she said angrily.

"Yes but you two are part of the Furious Five so you must train seeing I'm your Master.

You want us to lose against Tai-Lung?" Shifu answered.

"No." Leah answered as she pulverized a spiked ball into pieces.

"_I can't believe I've Shifu as a master._

_He's worse than any teacher I've had in high school._

_Carley's lucky._

_She has Po as a Master." _She thought as the others joined her.

"Don't worry Leah.

He's just like that because he cares about the Valley and it's inhabitants." Viper told her.

"Yeah you're right.

I hope Carley's okay training with Po." She answered.

Po smiled as he and Carley arrived at the Sacred Pool of Tears.

"This place is so awesome!" she said.

"Yeah and it's the birth place of kung fu." Po replied as he unsheathed something.

It was a powerful sword with a golden hilt with emerald green gems and a Chinese Dragon on the blade.

"I see you like it.

It's the Dragon Blade, the most powerful weapon the second Dragon Warrior will wield in attle but only when you're ready.

I know you can do it." He told her resheathing it and hiding it for now.

"Let's get started." She replied.

They then began to train in many things including deep breathing, push ups and fighting.

Leah then saw them return worn out.

"You okay?

Was it hard er than Shifu's training?" she asked.

"I'll tell you later.

I'm taking a nap." Carley answered her walking into her room in the bunk house and closing the door.

She lay on the bed.

"_I'm never ever going to get the Dragon Blade._

_I messes up training._

_I'm no Dragon Warrior, I'm a loser like everybody back home thinks." _She thought as her eyes closed…

Leah was worried. Po had revealed a little exercise at night.

"_It's not a good idea. She's not confident enough to train at night._

_I know he's training her to use her other senses in battle but he shouldn't attempt this yet." _She thought as she ate with the Furious Five.

Shifu could read her thoughts but was going along with it.

Tigress was helping out by pretending to be an assassin.

Po watched as she took a bowl of dumplings and knocked on Carley's door and opened it.

She then walked in.

Her friend woke up.

"Hey Leah.

Thanks for bringing me some food." She told her as Leah sat on her bed beside her.

Shifu had made them sleep in separate rooms because he knew they were in Love.

"_It's because he's heartless, that's why._

_Maybe I should tell her about what're planning." _Leah thought as she kissed her.

"You know I believe in you and know you're a great Dragon Warrior." She told her softly.

"Thanks Leah." She replied as she finished eating and went with her to the kitchen.

Po was there washing up.

"Hey you need to get ready.

There's some training going on tonight.

Meet me outside in a hour." He told Carley.

"O-Okay." She replied going into her room and put her back pack on.

"_Why train at night?_

_I don't understand." _She thought as she walked out of there and hung out in the kitchen

A hour later she and Po were in the forest as the night covered the area.

"I don't understand.

What's the point of this training at night?" Carley asked nervous.

"I know you can't see at night but this is about using your other senses and not just your sight.

I know you can do it.

I believe in you." Po explained.

She then felt the trees as they walked through the forest.

Shifu and Tigress smiled as they saw them.

"Let's do this!" Tigress said sending a shooting star in their way.

Po heard it and was worried as Carley heard it but couldn't get out of the way in time.

She gritted her teeth as her arm hurt.

"Great Assassins!" she yelled as they lunged at them.

Leah was worried along with Po.

This was not going as planned.

"Shadow clone jutsu!" Carley yelled as she made the hand sign.

Po along with Shifu was amazed at that but Leah smirked at that.

Unlike the Furious Fuvem she and Carley used chakra in battle.

But more shooting stars destroyed the shadow clones.

Po watched as Tigress sent his student to the ground with various kicks and punches.

"Tigeress stop!" Po and Shifu yelled.

Tigress revealed herself.

Carley was shocked but hurt.

Shifu then approached as Po helped her up.

"Thanks." she replied to him.

"You failed!

You'll never be ready to battle and protect when we go up against Tai-Lung.

You'll never be a Dragon Warrior or wield the Dragon Blade at this rate!" he telled at her.

Leah snapped inside with rage.

She saw tears well in her girl friend's eyes but she was holding them back.

Once they got to the bunk house, she went into her room and closed the door a little.

She then began to sing while listening to Demi Lovato on her MP3 player.

Leah and the others could hear her crying.

What had happened tonight hurt along with Shifu's words.

Po was feeling bad about how the training had went.

"Is she upset with me?" he asked her.

"No but training didn't help along with Shifu's attirude towards her.

She tried so hard even using chakra but Tigress got carried away.

She's going to feel like she can't be the Dragon Warrior because she has low self esteem and no belief in herself.

She really wanted to wield the Dragon Blade and make you proud." Leah answered him.

"Cool.

Can I ask you something? What was that energy she used when she made that hand sign and made clones of her before Tigress destroyed them?

It was awesome!" he replied to her.

"It was chakra, the force all ninjas use in battle.

It is physical and spiritual along with hand signs that unleash killer moves like Shadow clone jutsu, the move she used." she explained to him.

Po then saw a ball of purple energy in his fir hand.

It was made of chakra.

Shifu then saw Leah approach but she went into Carley's room.

Her friend was lying on the bed with her Gaara Shippuden gear on.

"... Hey you feel better?" she asked her as her eyes opened.

Pain and sadness was in them.

"A little.

Why did they ever think I'm the second Dragon Warrior?

I'm nothing but a disabled loser.

Shifu's right.

If I go up against Tai-Lung, I'll be toast." Carlet replied sadly.

"You're not a loser.

I know deep inside you are the second Dragon Warrior.

You just need help in believing in yourself.

Besides Po and I will help even if Shifu and the others don't believe in you." she said kissing her on the lips.

That made her feel better.

Tao smiled as he watched the second Dragon Warrior in misery.

"It'll be easy to defeat her no matter how the other Dragon Warrior trains her!" he thought as he plotted...


	4. Protecting what She cares About

Finding the Strength

Ch 4

It was dawn as Carley woke up. She got up and dressed in punk clothes and her Green Day shirt.

She walked into the kitchen. Po was already in there cooking.

He gulped nervously.

He knew she was still angry about last night but she seemed calm.

"…. Are you okay, you know after last night?

I just wanted to train you in learning not to rely om your sight in battle.

Leah tried to tell me it was a bad idea but I didn't listen.

Can you forgive me and the others?" he said softly.

"Yeah I forgive you but not Shifu.

It's like he doesn't believe in me or think I can be the second Dragon Warrior.

I know inside that I'll do it but I keep messing up.

I have no confidence and low self esteem." She replied.

"Yeah I know.

Leah told me that too." Po said.

"Where's Leah? She's normally up before me." Carley asked him.

"She's training with Shifu.

Maybe…. We should make something for her.

What do you think?" he said to her.

"Okay but I'm not that good at cooking." She told him.

"Yeah I know but you'll learn and besides I'll be right beside you." He told her as she ate.

"Okay. I'll try." She told him as she finished eating and washed up.

Leah panted for breath. Shifu was making her do a ten mile hike and she wasn't loving it.

"_This is torture!_

_I can't take him any more!_

_I know a way to get away._

_Using my chakra to make a clone, then run back to the bunk house before he notices." _She thought as she made the hand sign and a clone appeared after chakra surrounded her body.

"Sayanora sucker!" she thought running off.

Po was surprised as well as Carley by how good the soup was she'd made.

"See?

I told you, you could do it.

You believed in yourself to make an awesome bowl of Secret Ingredient Soup.

I can't wait to taste your noodles later.

Can I ask something?

How are you able to use that chakra stuff?

It looks pretty cool especially when you made those clones of you appear." He said as they made noodles.

"It has been in me but it took Leah to help unlock it." She answered as they made noodles.

She then saw a ball of purple energy appear in his fur hand.

She stared at that.

"You have chakra too?

Awesome!

Chakra is the spiritual and physical energy in the bodies of a ninja.

They combine it with hand signs to perform jutsus like the shadow clone one I used last night." Carley explained.

"Shifu's not going to be happy if he sees thism I'd better hide it from him, huh?" Po told her.

"Yes you should but not around Leah and me, we understand because we both have it only…." SHE REPLIED.

"Only what?" he asked.

"Only Leah's the reak ninja, not me.

She even passed the graduation test which makes her a ninja.

I got my chakra by accident while tampering with a scroll." She told him.

Po then saw Leah walk in.

"Hey something smells good in here." She said sitting down.

"It's us.

Did training with Shifu build your appetite?" Carley told her.

"You can say that." She said with a smile on her face.

As she ate, the other Masters along with her and Po saw Master Shifu walk into the bunk house.

He looked very angry.

"Somebody's busted!" Monkey whispered to Viper.

"What did you do?" Carley asked Leah.

"I…. Sort of used my chakra to make a shadow clone and ditch Shifu." Leah replied.

"Because of that, we're doing extra training now!

And no getting out of it." He yelled at her.

Po saw Carley hiding under the table at that as Shifu walked out of the room bringing Leah with him.

"It's okay.

He's gone." He told her.

"T-Thanks.

I got freaked out.

I can't believe Leah did that because we have to train to be stronger so we can stop Tao, right?

But I don't blame her.

Shifu's kind of mean." She told him.

"I know.

Let's go to the River of Tranquilly.

The others are going there too since Shifu's training Leah." He said.

"Sure." She replied.

Tao cackled as he saw assasins appear before him.

"Go there and stop the Dragon Warriors.

Do not fail." He replied to them.

They bowed in respect to him and left.

"_I know this'll work. _

_With Shifu training that human, the others including the Dragon Warriors are defenceless!" _he thought evilly…

Po saw a smile on Carley's face as they were near the calming river.

The other Masters were meditating as he put a blind fold around her.

"What's this for?" she asked curious.

"I'm gonna train you in using your other senses, okay?

Since last night didn't go so well.." he told her.

He then lunged at her but she dodged him sending him to the ground.

Tigress and the other Masters were amazed at that as Po got to his feet.

"I need you to attack her.

Just don't go nuts." he told Tigress.

She nodded as she broke out of her meditation pose and threw a shooting star at Carley but she caught it.

"H-How did she do that?" Tigress asked.

"She's using her other senses, that's why." a voice said.

It was Shifu and Leah was with him.

Carley saw a smile on his face as she removed the blind fold and gulped nervous.

"Don't worry.

He's not mad.

He's actually pleased." Tigress said to her.

But then they saw Shifu being sent flying off his feet.

Po and the others gasped as their Master got to his feet.

Leah saw two tigers land on their feet with veils over their faces.

"Who're they?" ;eah asked.

"Assassins. Tao must've sent them." Leah told her as she was grabbed by one.

"Let her go!

What do you want?" Po asked them.

"You and the other Dragon Warrior.

Come with us or else your friend will get messed up." they replied.

Shifu then saw anger in Carley's eyes as she ran into the bushes and unsheathed something.

It was the Dtagon Blade.

A feeling of power rushed over her but she didn't let it over take her.

"Are you crazy?

You're not ready yet to wield it!" Viper yelled.

She ignored it as her eyes glowed with chakra.

The assasssins shot shooting stars at her but bounced off her and the Dragon Blade.

Shifu was amazed but Po and the others were stunned as chakra burst forth from the sword combined with Dragon power.

The assassins then let go of Leah and fled.

Leah watched as her girl friend faited.

She along with Po and the others ran over to her.

Po watched as Leah disappeared with her back to the bunk house.

Po was still thinking about what had just happened as he resheathed the Dragon Blade.

Tao growled angrily at that but was also impressed by the human Dragon Warrior.

"Looks like I found a worthy foe." he thought.

Later Carley woke to find herself in her room in the bunk house.

She hurt from the battle and was still tired.

Leah then entered the room.

"... I'm so glad you're awake.

I thought that you weren't going to wake up.

Po and I were really worried about you.

What made you strong like that, like Naruto?" she said to her.

"I... was thinking of all the times we've been together and what our Love has helped us through.

There was no way I was losing you without a fight." Carley replied softly as Leah kissed her.

Po smiled as he saw her sit outside under the Sacred Peach tree of Heavenly Wisdom.

"She's awake, finally.

What she did was amazing.

She and you really love each other, don't you?" he said nervous.

"Yeah we do." she replied to him.

She saw him looking at Tigress with a weird look in his eyes.

She could tell he liked her but was too afraid to tell her...


	5. Letting Love In

Finding the Strength Finding the Strength

A/N Hey guys thanks for the reviews. I'm glad you're liking the fic.

Ch 5

Leah noticed that Tigress was acting weird around Po.

She watched as Carley was meditating.

"Yes they do seem to like each other but hide it." Shifu told her smiling.

"_Maybe they need to be alone._

_That way they will grow stronger together." _Leah thought as Tigress was sparring with her.

She scowled as Leah fell to the floor.

"What's up with you?

You're normally beating me." The Master told her.

"Do you like Po?

I know you guys do but hide it." Leah said to her.

Tigress sighed.

"I do but Love is a bad idea especially in training for battle.

Shifu would understand that." She told Leah.

"But you're wrong!

Love is very powerful.

You shouldn't let it be ignored or it'll make you sad by regretting it." She said to her.

Meanwhile Carley was training with Po.

She was thinking of what Shifu had told them.

"I know you like Tigress.

You do love her, right?" she told him.

"Yeah I do.

It's just she'd never accet me as somebody to love.

She only respects me as a Master, the Dragon Warrior.

I wonder if she'd like me if I wasn't a warrior." He told her.

"I think she likes you just the way you are. She's just afraid to show how she feels." she replied to him.

"That means a lot to me to hear you say that." Po told her.

Leah then walked into the kitchen as Carley was making Secret Ingredient Soup for the others.

She'd been training with Tigress all day long and was bushed.

But something was on her mind. It was about Shifu. She had a feeling he was lonely and needed somebody.

"He's withdrawn emotionally. We don't know why.

He never talks about it when we ask." Viper said to Leah.

Po then saw Shifu in the shadows. He'd been listening to what Viper and the others had been saying.

"Maybe they'd understand when they dind out why I'm like this." he thought as Leah was messing around with the others.

Po then saw Carley sitting alone.

He saw something in her that made her emotionally like Shifu.

He then heard Shifu training in the training hall angrily.

He then entered. There ewas pain in his eyes which he couldn't hide, not even from his Dragon Warrior.

"What's wrong Master?" he asked softly. Shifu gasped in shock.

"Po what're you doing in here? I thought I was alone." he said.

"I heard you in here. You... seem upset.

You want to talk?

Is it to do with Tai-Lung?" Po asked curious.

Shifu sighed sadly. Maybe he could trust Po.

"No it's not Tai-Lung I'm worried about. It's just I've made more mistakes before that... with my famlly.

My father... was so cruel that I... had to run away. After that they disowned me and sent assassins after me.

Until Master Oog-way began to train me.

I have always been alone but I can't let others in because of what happened.

Your teenage student, the second Dragon Warrior is hurting too like me but hides it better than I do." he told him walking out of there.

He noticed Carley had gone to her room along with Leah.

Leah sat beside her friend on her bed in her room.

She saw sadness in her girl friend's eyes.

"What's wrong? I know you're upset.

I can see it in your eyes." she asked her.

"It's... just we'll never be able to defeat Tao. To do it, the Dragon Warrior must be strong inside and out.

I know I'm not strong inside and you know it and in battle we're gonna lose." she answered tears in her aqua blue eyes.

It hurt Leah to see her like this. It happened when her friend got depressed.

"I know but you'll learn how to. Besides I know you can be strong if you believe.

I have faith in you that you can do this to protect our friends." Leah said kissing her.

Tigress was secretly watching this. It made her fel the way she did around Po.

She then realised it was Love she felt for him but she'd hidden it from him and the others.

Leah knew how she felt. She and Carley had hidden their relationship from their parents so they wouldn't freak out.

Carley smirked at that fact.

"I wonder if Po knows yet." she told her.

But Tao was sneaking around the Jade Palace lookig for the weaknesses the Furious Five might have along with the second Dragon Warrior.

"I think I found her weakness, her precious friend.

Now to find the other's!

Then when we meet in battle, I will be victorious!" he growled.

Po then was sitting outside under the Sacred Peavh Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. He was thinking about Tigress as he ate a peach.

He then heard a soft growl as somebody was up in the tree. It was Tigress.

She then lost her footing and fell out of the tree into Po's arms.

"Umm... Hey what're you... doing climbing in the tree for?" he asked nervously.

"I... was looking for... you." she said kissing him.

Po then smiled as they broke the kiss for air.

"Y-You love me don't you?

You're just too afraid to admit it to yourself." Po told her.

"Yes it's true. I love you. I have.

It's just hard letting somebody into your heart when you've been alone most of your life.

Like Shifu." Tigress told him.

He understood as they just lay there in each other's arms enjoying the night...


	6. Going through Changes

Finding the Strength

Ch 6

Leah felt weird as she woke up.

"_What's going on? I feel as if I've changed._

_I wonder why?" _she thought as she looked in the mirror.

She had become a silver furry wolf with dark brown eye slits and still had her long chestmut hair.

"This is strange but I like it.

I… wonder…" she mused as she walked out of her room and knocked on Carley's door.

It opened as a dragon opened the door.

It had black scales , slender and had aqua blue eyes.

"Wow you changed too! Isn't it cool?" she said.

Leah felt relief hearing her friend's voice.

"Carley?

You became a dragon.

That makes sense seeing you're the Dragon Warrior." Leah said.

"Yeah I hope Shifu and the others aren't too mad." Carley replied walking down the hall.

She had a human like body but was covered in black scales and heer claws were sharp.

Po struck a pose as they entered the kitchen.

"Po relax it's us Carley and Leah. We changed into these while we were asleep." Leah told him.

He noticed it was true as he looked into their eyes.

"Wow! You're telling the truth!

Shifu and the other Masters need to know in case they misunderstand." he replied.

Leah nodded in replu as he went off.

Leah saw worry in her friend's eyes as they ate.

"Don't worry. They'll understand when Po tells them." she reassured her as they kissed.

Carley smiled at that.

But she accidentally let out a belch of fire.

"Sorry about that." she said nervously.

Leah laughed.

"It's okay. You're not used to this yet but you'll get it." Leah told her as Shifu entered.

"Well it seems you became animals. This might work to our upper hand when we fight Tao." he said to them.

Carley was nervous as he stared at them along with the other Masters.

She looked at her clawed feet as Leah did the same.

Later Carley sighed as she and Po trained by facing off against each other.

He could tell her mind was else where.

"You okay? It's like you're somewhere else today." he told her.

"I-I'm sorry. It's just I'm not used to this at all. Especially the fighting Tao part.

That's what scares me the most." she answered him sadly looking away from him as she went for some air.

Leah joined him.

"Is she always nervous like that?" he asked her.

"Yes she always has been shy and afraid around other people becaise of being disabled." Leah answered.

Po then got an idea as he went after his student to help boost confidence..


	7. Letting It Out

Finding the Strength

Ch 7

Carley clawed at a tree angrily. She had hated the way the other Masters had stared at her and Leah like that.

Po watched as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her MP3 walkman/

A smile crossed her face at that.

Leah and him watched as she sat under the tree bobbing her head in time to the music.

"She uses music when she's upset like the way you eat when you're upset.

She doesn't know how to control how she feels so she feels weird most of the time as well as upset.

We should talk to her." She said as Panic at the Disco blasted out of the head phones.

"_Maybe I can help her to get confident in herself so she'll be strong enough to beat Tao._

_But maybe she's like me, afraid to be herself around the others but is herself around me and Leah." _He thought walking into his student's room.

There were posters on the wall of Demi Lovato and other musicians she loved, on her bed which was made was a back pack.

He then went through it carefully and found note books and a framed picture of her and Leah.

"_Wow she and Leah must like each other like me and Tigress." _He thought leaving the room and walking into the kitchen.

Leah was there while the other Masters were on patrol.

"You were in her room, weren't you?" she asked playfully.

"Yeah I… was getting to know what she's into." Po answered her.

"She likes music a lot, doesn't she?" he said as he made noodles.

"Yeah she wants to be a musician and she can sing.

It's…. just she's afraid to follow her dream because her family are into sports.

In our world she only has me. Now you understand why she's like that." Leah explained to him.

He nodded to her.

Later they saw Carley come in.

"Hey guys. What's going on?" she asked them.

"Nothing... much. I'm sort of making luch.

You want to help?" Po answered her.

"Sure. I've got nothing else to do." she replied as she began cutting vegetables up.

"Leah told me... you're good at music and that you wanna be a musician." he said to her watching her face as she opened her mouth.

"Yes I do but... nobody thinks..." she said trailing off.

"Think what?" Po asked her.

"That I'm a loser and I'll never amount to anything in life like the way your father was like ubril you became the Dragon Warrior.

They treat me differently like a freak because I'm half blind.

I'm not even allowed to drive.

Do you know how it feels to be a loser?

Maybe it's just my destiny to be a nobody." she replied with hurt in her voice.

Po felt sorry for her. He knew how it hurt when nobody believed in him or cared that he loved Kung Fu.

"Yes I do. I always felt like you do, like you don't fit in but after meeting Shifu and the others and being the Dragon Warrior, I found I was supposed to be here.

I'd found a place where I belong.

You shouldn't give up your dreams. I know how important they can be.

I believe in you as well as Leah.

You need to get confident in yourself." Po replied as they made noodles.

"Yeah I know. My family say that all the time.

Every time I try, it fails." Carley said to him as they poured the soup into bowls.

"I see... You're not so nervous when Leah or I am around." he said to her.

"Yes but that's because... you both like me for me nd not because I can't see." she replied to him as they heard the Furious Five walk out of the training room along with Leah.

She looked tired and sore.

"What happened to you?" Carley asked Leah.

"She was training against Tigress and you know what that's like.

She takes no prisoners!" Mantis answered but Viper smacked him for that.

"What did I do?" he asked rubbing his head.

Carley laughed at that.

Po loved it when she smiled or when she was happy.

Tigress sighed as she watched them.

She felt bad for going aggro on Leah in training. It was because Mantis had been teasing her about her and Po.

She watched as they ate and joked but she was quiet as she ate...


	8. This is Me part 1

Finding the Strength

A/N Hey guys I'm back from my weekend. It was pretty cool.

Here's the necy chapter

Ch 8

Tigress growled angrily as she sat under the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom.

She'd been unable to speak at dinner because she was too afraid to say how she felt about Po.

"_Why must the others tease me about being in Love with Po?_

_He's a nice guy and hard working._

_They don't know how I feel." _She thought as she saw Viper and Leah appear beside her.

"You okay? You… seemed pretty quiet at dinner." Leah told her.

Tigress looked into her dark brown eyes seeing that the girl knew what it felt like to hurt emotionally.

"I… was afraid, okay?" Tigress said her eyes looking away from them.

"Afraid of what? You're never afraid of anything!" Viper replied, her mouth open in shock.

"I'm afraid… to Love." She whispered.

Leah saw great worry in her eyes.

"It's okay Tigress, every woman sometimes is afraid to Love but not if you have a guy who cares about you.

Like Po." Leah replied smiling a little.

"Are you sure or is this revenge for training and me unleashing my stress on you?" the female Master asked her.

"It's true alright and I'd never give anybody revenge.

I'm not that kind of person.

Love is an unspoken bond between two people who understand and love one another and their quirks.

Po may seem goofy and a different kind of Master but that's part of his charm.

Your being tough and strong makes him nervous so he wants to see the you within, behind the warrior but is that what makes you afraid?

That he wouldn't like you if he saw what you hide through your emotions, that you're hurting.

But maybe he hurts like you too, afraid to be alone." The wolf explained.

Tigress nodded.

"Yes… it is what I'm afraid of.

What if he only likes me as a warrior and not my true self?" Tigress replied to them.

"You'll never know unless you try." Viper said as new found confidence surged through Tigress.

"You're right.

Thanks guys." she replied walking off to the bunk house.

Carley was worried.

Po had been furiously training in the training room all night.

She had a feeling it had something to do with dinner eariler.

"Why doesn't she like me?

Is it me or my body?

I can change if she wants me to!" he yelled smashing a rock into dozens of pieces with his stomach.

He then fell onto the floor as she came over to him.

"You okay?" she asked helping him up.

He looked away from her, he had tears running down his face.

"I... just... just want her to like me, the way I do but she never notices.

Why bother?

Maybe I should give up." he said as she sat beside him.

"Did I just hear the Dragon Waeeior say he gave up?

I know that's not true.

She likes you the way you are, she'd be upset if you changed into a jerk.

I know from what Leah told me a few minutesw ago." Carley told him softly.

"R-Really?

She lokes me?" Po asked her.

"Yes she was... just afraid." she answered.

"What do you mean?" he asked her.

"She was afraid that if you saw her, what's inside her heart, she thought you wouldn't like her.

But we know that's so not true.

Also Monkey and Mantis have been keeping her going about it." Carley explained as she made smoothies in the kitchen.

Shifu was amazed by the second Dragon Warrior's power to empathize with others who were hurting and needed somebody to talk to.

He smiled as Tigress walked in but was stopped by a mysterious woman in black clothes.

It was a female wolf but it wasn't Leah.

Her name was Melody and was Po's niece.

She was fourteen, had black hair in a short cut with blue and green dye in it, wore combat boots.

She was slender with tattoos and piercungs and had an electric guitar on her back...


	9. This is Me part 2

Finding the Strength

A/N Here's more of the fic. Melody is Po's niece from Tokyo. Her parents want Po to stop her being herself, a wild and free teen into a warrior like him.

Ch 9

Po was surprised to see Melody. He knew about her and had seen her once when she was a child when her parents visited the Valley.

"Who're you?

Why're you here?" Leah asked Melody.

"I'm Melody Akias and my parents sent me here from Tokyo, okay?" Melody replied.

Po and the others were shocked by Melody's attitude.

"Oh yeah Uncle Po my parents told me to give this to you." The teen told him as she handed him a scroll like letter.

He opened it and read.

Dear Po

We are sending Melody into your care so she may learn spiritual balance and self restraint as a warrior.

Since she was kicked out of her last school, we didn't know what to do, then we remembered you are her uncle and the Dragon Warrior so we thought you would teach her as a warrior.

So she may control her wild spirit and not disgrace our family's honour

Sincerely Yours

Meli- san and Hiro, Melody's parents.

Po looked at the emo like teen as Shifu read it.

"So… you're going to be with us for a while, right?

I hope we can be friends." Leah said to her smiling.

Melody rolled her eyes at that.

"Yeah right! Like I'd hang out with losers like you!" Melody replied coldly as she stormed off to her room and slammed the door.

Tigress and the others could hear her trashing the room as she unpacked.

"_Why did they make me come to this dumb place with losers, just so I could be a warrior._

_I hate it! I hate being stuck here without my friends or Chiko or my rock band!_

_Just so my loser parents are happy." _The teen thought as she put on her MP3 player and listened to Green Day.

Her eyes were closed so she didn't see Po come in.

"Umm… hey Melody you okay?" he asked softly.

"Why would you care?" she replied, her voice full of anger.

"I… I know it must feel hard for you, being made to move away from your home, your friends but we could be like a family if you know what I mean." He told her.

"I hate being here! The only reason I came was because my parents made me!

I was nearly going to make my dream of being a rock goddess come true but my parents hate my dreams and want me to be a pathetic Dragon Warrior like you!

This is your fault! I hate you and I don't ever want to be friends or family with anybody, especially not you!

So stop trying to get me to like you because it won't work!" Melody yelled at him.

"Oh… okay then. I'm just going to go, okay?

Good night." He said sadly.

Tigress had heard what Melody had said along with Carley and Leah.

They were outraged by her.

"What gives her the right to say that even if she's an emo?

I'm a Goth but I'm still nice. She seriously needs her attitude checked." Carley told them.

"Yeah you're right! Maybe once Shifu trains her, she won't be like that." Leah replied.

"Let's go find Po. I've a feeling he needs our help." Tigress told them.

"Right!" they replied as they followed her into the village.

"_The nerve of that little whelp! What gives her the right to hurt him emotionally like that?_

_He was just trying to be nice to her, make her feel welcome but no, she throws it in his face._

_I hope he's okay." _Tigress thought as they entered the noodle shop through the back door.

Po was in the kitchen trying to make noodles along with soup but his heart wasn't in it at the moment.

It was still hurt from Melody.

"Hey you okay? Melody's a jerk." Leah heard Carley say to her Master.

"But she was right. I'm the reason she's here.

I destroyed her dream and now she's going to make my life miserable because of it." Po replied with his eyes filling with tears.

"_This sucks!_

_She really hurt him, making him depressed and making him feel worthless, the way he used to feel before he became the Dragon Warrior._

_Melody knows how to emotionally screw others, to hurt them emotionally." _Tigress mused as Po broke down.

"Ssh it'll be okay. You didn't destroy her dream, she did it herself.

Her parents sent her here so she could learn to be better behaved.

It's something she has to learn, that there are prices she must pay for her actions." She replied stroking him gently.

Po seemed to calm down at that as her lips touched his.

Leah watched as they both blushed.

"T-Thanks Tigress. I needed that.

I love you. I hope Melody calms down or I don't know what I'm going to do." He answered softly.

"I love you too in that way. Besides Melody thinks in the Jade Palace, she's going to get her own way but that's wrong.

Besides if we stand together, she won't be a problem, right?" she replied smiling.

"Yeah that's right!" Leah replied.

"Thanks guys. I hope she calms down." Po said as they walked back to the Jade Palace but heard Melody yell in anger.

Shifu was making her run laps up and down the palace steps.

Po was nervous as Shifu approached him.

"Don't worry. I'm trying to snap her attitude by training her harder than ever before, unlike with the others beccause of her wild nature.

Let's just say it's because of what happened eariler." he replied to him.

Leah smiled at that. She watched as Melody finished the laps and went off to her room muttering.

"How is he after you found him in the Village?" Shifu asked Leah gently.

"He's still depressed after what happened. Melody doesn't know how what she does in one of her emo tantrums can hurt somebody.

Like her uncle and he's just trying to reach out to her." Leah answered.

Shifu nodded in reply. They were learning very fast and growing in spirit without realising it.

"He's with Carley in the training hall doing some weird stretches." Mantis said to them.

Leah then smiled walking into the hall. Her friend was teaching her Master yoga that would calm his mood.

Po then cracked a smile at her attempt and nearly fell from laughing too hard.

Melody was watching them and was secretly jealous of the way Po and the Furious Five were like family unlike hers.

She then snuck out of the Palace and into the Village. She wanted to have some fun.

Somebody then appeared. It a teenage male snow leopard in a black ninja suit and the veil hid his face revealing only his eyes.

"I see you're hating being trained to be a warrior and you hate your uncle Po, right?" he said to her.

"So what's it to you?" she asked moodily.

"I want to take care of the Dragon Warriors but I'm alone, an emo like you who wants to make his dreams come true but can't because of my family wanting me to be a warrior." he answered.

Melody felt a bond bwtween them, like he understood how she felt.

"What's your name? I'm Tao." he said to her.

"I'm Melody. They sent me here to be a warrior but that's not my dream." the emo wolf girl replied.

"What is your dream Melody? Mine is to rule the Valley." Tao told her.

A smile crossed her face before answering.

"I wanna be a rock goddess and blow people's minds with my music." she answered.

"Cool. We should join forces and together our dreams could come true." he replied.

"I'd like that but we've gotta keep our friendship secret so my uncle and his loser friends don't find out what we're up to." she said looking around to make sure nobody was around.

"Of course." Tao said as he watched her leave. He had plans for Melody, big plans...

Tigress found Po outside under the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. He still looked down but was hiding it.

He'd never been hated before by a member of his family and it hurt.

"Hey peach blossom you okay?" she said to him wrapping her arms around him.

"Y-Yeah I'm fine Lotus Drop just thinking." he replied to her.

She saw fear in his eyes as he looked into hers. It hurt her to see him like this, so sad and depressed.

Normally that was her schtick but recently Melody had made it feel like his.

She noticed he'd been eating less and less since Melody came, not even Monkey's almond cookies had been touched by him.

Shifu hadn't noticed this but the others had especially Tigress.

"Here have something." she said giving him a peach.

"No thanks Tigress I'm not really hungry. I'm not in an eating mood." he answered looking away from her.

"Is... it because of Melody? I've noticed you haven't been eating as much as you normally do even when you're upset." she said to him.

He nodded to her with tears in his eyes but he didn't want to show her his pain because in her eyes, it was weakness.

"Po... please let me help. I know you're trying not to but holding it in makes it worse, makes the pain hurt." she said stroking him.

"I... know but Melody... she hates me... and I've never had anybody hate me for being me except when I was a kid." he cried, his tears soaking her fur a little.

Shifu heard that and felt sorry and angry at the same time. He knew Melody enjoyed hurting others like Po emotionally weaker than her but maybe she was like that too.

But hid the hurt within masking it with toughness.

He would find the weak spot in Melody's heart and expose it no matter what...

o


	10. Trying to stop the Storm

Finding the Strength

A/N Hey guys I'm gonna update until I go on holiday on Thursday. I won't be back for two weeks.

Ch 10

Shifu was worried for Po after Tigress had brought it to his attention.

He knew it had something to do with Melody.

He wasn't getting through to her at all and he knew she was angry at them all but took out her resentment on Po all the time.

"_I have to help him before… something happens to him._

_Melody is using him as a punching bag for her resentments and it's taking it's toll on him._

_He barely talks to the others besides his student and Tigress._

_He hasn't laughed or cracked jokes or cooked in a long while._

_Maybe I should try." _He thought as he walked into the training room.

Carley was shooting fire balls at targets along with the obstacle course.

Leah was worried for her. She was pushing herself too hard and it was because of Melody.

"Is she nuts! She's going to hurt herself or worse." Tigress told her.

"_I know why're you're doing this. It's because of what Melody did at the Pool of Sacred Tears._

_You dived into the water when she was about to drown." _The dark furry wolf thought as she began to remember.

She and Carley had been sitting under a tree by the Pool of Sacred Tears talking and relaxing.

They had been talking about Shrek stuff whether their fave ogre could fight the undead when they heard somebody yell for help.

"Who is it?" Leah asked curious.

"It's Melody. We've got to help her!" Carley said.

"But she's mean and evil. She deserves it for making Po miserable." Leah told her.

"_I know she does but as long as I'm the Dragon Warrior, I can't let my Master's niece drown no matter how much she hates him._

_It's the way of a warrior." Carley replied._

_Leah smiled watching her friend dive into the pool. She was right about the way of a warrior._

_That's what she loved about her._

_Carley then rose out of the water with Melody in her scaled arms but before they landed on the ground, she was sent flying into a tree._

_Leah heard Melody cackled as she landed on her feet on the ground as Carley fell onto the ground on her back._

"_Carley you okay? She had no right to do that after you helped her." Leah told her running over to her._

_Her friend's eye slits opened and pain and tears were in them._

_Pain flowed through her spine but Melody slashed at her arms._

"_S-Stop! Please!_

_What did she do to you?_

_She just saved your life!" Leah yelled in anger as she lunged at Melody and sent her flying with chakra._

"_You okay?" Leah asked Carley as she helped her up but watched as she gritted her fangs in agony._

"_II'll be fine Leah but you're hurt too!" Carley replied as Melody showed up in front of them._

"_Your friend is pathetic. I can't believe a disabled weakling is the second Dragon Warrior._

_She'll probably run away or freak out against Tao._

_She's nothing but a freak!" Melody sneered but then Tigress showed up.._

_She'd helped Leah bring her and Carley back but Melody had gone back to the Jade Palace already…_

"She's right. You're going to injure your body more." Leah told her as her friend fell to the floor.

"N-No… Can't… stop until I'm… strong enough to prove to you and the others… that I'm meant to be the second Dragon Warrior." Carley replied to her.

Leah was angry. Melody had hurt her friend emotionally as well as physically.

Meanwhile Po had locked himself in his room and was lying on his bed.

Shifu could hear him as he knocked on the door.

"Melody is bent on making him miserable, she'll have to deal with me and the others." he thought as he kicked down the door and walked in.

Po had slashes on his arms that had healed, dried tears on his face and pillow.

He was holding a framed photo in his arms as he slept. It was of Po and his Dad.

Shifu smiled. He knew that photo made Po happy thinking of the good times instead of the sad.

"Are you awake? Answer me Dragon Warrior!

Po?" Shifu said nervous trembling.

He realised his student was thinner than normal.

He then felt Po's pulse. It was weak because he hadn't eaten in a while.

"H-Hey Shifu. What's going on?" Po answered sadly.

It shocked him to hear the sadness in his voice.

"You haven't been your normal self. I think it's because of Melody." Shifu told him.

Po nodded softly.

"Yes she is making me hurt emotionally because she hates me and nobody has ever done that." Po told him softly.

Shifu watched as Po's eyes closed.

He left the rom.

Leah watched as Carley fell asleep in her room.

Melody had been taking it out on everybody especially Po and Carley.

It made her angry to hear how one emo kid could be so cruel.

She then walked into the kitchen and began to cook.

Shifu smiled seeing that. He needed help to get Po to eat again.

"Is he okay?" she asked him.

"He's not. He's more depressed and won't eat. Melody's darkness is getting to him and it hurts me to see him like this.

The way I was after Tai-Lung was imprisoned." Shifu answered.

"I know because Carley's suffering from Melody too. She saved Melody when she fell into the Pool of Sacred Tears.

But after that she attacked Carley and thinks she shouldn't be the second Dragon Warrior." Leah told him.

He cried a little but didn't want to show it.

Tigress then heard Po yell in agony and ran to his room.

"Po you okay?" she said as she kicked down the door.

She knelt beside him on the bed.

"It's... my Dad. Something bad happened to him. I saw it in my dream." he told her sadly.

"Don't worry I'll go check on him, okay?" she said to him.

Shifu then watched as she ran to the noodle shop.

She had a feeling that something wasn't right.

She gasped as she found Melody standing there.

"I knew it! You're a sick little freak! Po just wanted to love you, teach you and instead you hurt him, make him feel depressed enough to stop eating and attacked his father!" she growled.

"It doesn't matter. He doesn't know that's not his real father!" she snapped.

"What're you talking about? Mr Ping has been his Dad for as long as he can remember." Tigress said to her.

"Ping found him when he was a baby but he's never had the guts to tell Po because he doesn't want to wreck his idea of family!" Melody yelled running off.

But then Melody was sent flying by somebody.

It was Leah.

"That's for what you did to my girl friend!

She saves your miserable life for Po's sake and you attack her!

You've a twisted sense of honour!" she yelled as Melody ran off.

Leah then followed Tigress back to the Jade Palace.

She felt sorry for Po because of his father.

Tigress hadn't found Mr Ping or anything that would be a hint to where he was.

Po felt worried than ever. He'd a feeling that his father was in danger from Tao.

Carley was with him in his room.

"Do you think my Dad's okay?" Po asked her.

"I'm sure he's fine. Besides maybe Shifu could help us find him." she told him.

"You're right!

I hope he's not hurt. He's the only family I ever knew." Po told her.

Tigress heard that and felt sorry for him after hearing what Melody had said to her about his being adopted.

She then watched as Carley made noodles and soup for Po so he would eat.

Leah then saw him eat a little.

"Thanks guys. You understand that I'm feeling low because of Melody." he said to them.

Tao cackled as Mr Ping squirmed weakly. He was tired from his injuries that Tao had caused him.

He knew that Melody had been bothering Po lately and she and Tao were going to use him to lure Po here so they could finish him...

"Why do you want to finish him? He's done nothing to you!" he told him.

"Because of him, my father Tai-Lung is dead. That I can't forgive.

I knew Melody would want to help me because Po destroyed her dreams of being a rock goddess." Tao explained.

He then watched as Mr Ping fainted...

Po could hear his father faint in his mind and was afraid.

He had to do something soon...

Shifu went to check on him but noticed Po was gone.

"Oh no! He must've gone to help his father!" he thought worriedly as he called the Furious Five...


	11. Losing Somebody Close Hurts

Finding the Strength

A/N Here's more of the fic. I hope you like it

Ch 11

Thoughts rushed through Po's mind as he raced through the forest to the mountains where Melody was.

"_You better not have hurt him._

_You may be my niece but you're pure evil!_

_What you've done still hurts but now isn't the time._

_My Dad is the only family I have." _He thought.

Tigress was worried with the other Masters after Shifu told them what was going on.

"He can't fight her alone! Who knows what she'll pull!" Tigress said nervous.

"Don't worry we 'll help him." Leah said reassuring her.

She wondered where Carley was. She'd been gone all morning.

She was at the Pool of Sacred Tears talking to a friend from Duloc.

He was wearing a suit of brown robes and a wide brimmed hat to hide his identity but she knew who it was as she looked into his brown eyes.

"You mean the blond haired Mama's Boy is here in China and he's with Melody and Tao?" she said.

"Aye he used magic to get here. He knows you and Leah are here and wants revenge." He told her.

"Don't worry amigo. We can handle him." She replied.

He chuckled as he turned to leave.

"Wait! Don't you want to stay and help us?" she asked him.

"That's great but… I don't think ogres would fit in around here.

Besides you can do it, you're the second Dragon Warrior and you're not alone.

You have Leah and the Furious Five by your side." He replied fading.

She smiled returning to the Jade Palace.

Leah noticed she was quiet.

"What's up? You've been very quiet. Normally you're worried like you're like that." She said.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about something a friend from Duloc told me at the Pool of Sacred Tears.

He said that Charming is in China and he's teamed up with Melody and Tao." She told her.

Leah was amazed but worried at the same time.

"_This isn't good but we can defeat Charming along with Melody and Tao, I hope." _She thought as she saw Carley fly off towards the mountains.

"Where's she going?" Viper asked Leah.

"Follow me! She went to the mountains.

I think that's where Po is.

Trust me!" Leah replied.

Shifu knew she was right as they followed.

Po panted for breath as he arrived at the cave in the highest peak in the mountain.

This was where Melody was hiding out.

He could hear his Dad speaking in Chinese.

He was very weak, nearly given up.

"Don't worry Dad!

I'm here!" he thought as he saw Leah and the Furious Five show up.

"Hey guys you're here!

I could use your help. Melody's in there along with my Dad." he said to them.

Leah looked worried.

She didn't see Carley with him.

But they they heard a loud roat and smoke coming from the cave entrance.

"She's in there fighting them right now!

We've gotta help her!" Leah told them about to charge but Viper stopped her.

"We know how much you care for her. But you can't go charging in there without a plan!" Tigress told her.

"That's true. I hope she's okay in there." Leah replied.

But then Carley staggered out with somebody in her scaly arms.

It was Po's Dad.

He was in a very wounded state from what Melody had done to him along with Tao.

"Dad... you okay?

Please speak to me!" Po said softly.

Mr Ping opeed his eyes to look at his adopted son.

"I'm... sorry that... I have to leave... you.

It's my time to ascend." he said gently.

Tears filled Po's eyes at that.

"No! Don't leave! You're my family!

Without you, I'm alone in this world." he told his father.

"Po... you're not alone... You have a family with your friends and... there's something I need to tell you.

I found you in the forest when you were a baby. I don't know who left you there but they must've wanted me to find you.

I kept it from you si we could at least be family but now that I'm leaving, I couldn't leave without telling you.

I'll always love you and hope that you'll always make me proud no matter what you do." his father told him as his eyes closed.

Shifu then realised that the soul of Po's father had left for the next life.

Leah saw Carley lying on the snowy ground out cold.

She was badly wounded and hurt from defending her Master's father.

They watched as Po buried his father's body in the snow.

He uttered a soft growl of anguish as he along with the Furious Five went back to the Jade Palace.

Tao cackled seeing how much Po's heart was hurting.

"This is good! He os clouded by the sadness. Soon he will meet his down fall." he told Melody and Charming.

Carley felt pain in her body as her eyes opened.

Leah was there by her side.

"Is Po's father okay? How is Po?" Carley asked but it hurt to talk.

"Rest. We'll talk later, okay?" Leah said as they kissed.

Po watched that sadly.

He felt more protective of his student now his heart hurt from the loss of his Dad.

Shifu knew that his Dragon Warrior was in agony and wanted to help him...

He heard him cry as he saw Tigress standing beside Po's door in the bunk house...


	12. Sadness and Sorrow part 1

Finding the Strength

Ch 12

Tigress sighed as she wrapped her arms around Po as she lay on the bed.

He was an emotional wreck. He had red rims around his eyes from crying from the hurt that had been inflicyed by his father's passing away.

"It'll be okay.

When somebody you care about leaves you, it'll always hurt but eventually everyone will leave.

You've got to let it go." She said softly.

Anger filled the Dragon Warrior's heart at that.

"Let him go? I can't just let him go!

He was the only one who took me as his son, gave me love and understood.

I don't know what you're thinking but I can't let him go!" Po yelled, his eyes full of rage.

"_I-I've never seen him like this. I didn't know how much he cared about his father._

_I wish there was something I could do but what?" _she thought as he started sobbing softly.

It broke her heart to see him like this.

Shifu and the others had noticed changes in the Dragon Warrior that made them worried.

They hoped he would heal soon.

Melody cackled as she left the Jade Palace and returned to the mountain cave.

Tao and Charming saw glee shine in her eyes.

"Well what's hoing on in the Palace?" Tao asked her.

"Po will be easy pickings now that he's off guard thanks to grief.

Which means you can defeat him." She reported to him.

"Excellent but I don't want to kill him yet.

I want to mess with him some more… by taking his precious student.

That should cause more damage to his heart." Tao replied cackling.

Melody and Charming watched as Tao left the cave.

Leah sighed sadly as she walked into Carley's room in the bunk house.

Her friend was out cold and badly wounded from the fight in the mountains.

She along with Po had been very worried about her and hoped she'd wake up.

But she heard a soft laugh as somebody snuck up behind her.

"Well if it isn't the Dragon Warrior's little friend!" Tao sneered as he sent her to the ground after high kicking her in the chest.

Leah watched as he advanced closer towards Carley.

She realised what he was up to and got to her feet slowly.

"I-I won't let you... hurt her!" she yelled as Tao lifted her friend over his shoulder.

"What're you gonna do? You can barely stand to fight!" he mocked as he walked out of there.

"This isn't happening! I've gotta alert Po!" she told herself walking out but saw Po outside.

"What happened to her? Tell me now!" he said.

"Tao was in here. He took Carley." Leah answered him.

Po was about to snap with rage as he left the Jade Palace.

He wouldn't let his student down the way he had his father.

Melody cackled as she and Charming began to beat Carley up.

Tao smiled at this as he saw the teen's eyes open.

"Enough! I want her alive for when Po shows up!" Tao yelled at them.

Melody made a face at that.

"What're they doing? They must be after Po!

I hope he doesn't give into Tao." she thought wincing in pain.

They then heard a loud battle cry as Po showed up.

Tao smiled at that as he saw him approach where Carley was as a cage fell over them.

"What're you doing?" Po yelled at him from inside the cage.

"You'll see when the Furious Five show up to help you." Rao replied.

"I'm sorry this is my fault.

We're in trouble. You should go, leave me here." Carley said to him.

"I won't leave you. I... should've been making sure you were safe." he replied hugging her.

He then broke the bars and escaped to warn the others.

"I'll be back, I promise!" he said as he ran off into the night.

She hoped that he'd come back...


	13. Sadness and Sorrow part 2

Finding the Strength

Ch 13

Shifu watched as Po arrived back at the Jade Palace exhausted.

Leah was worried not seeing Carley with him.

"Where is she?" she asked him nervous.

"I… need everybody's help to save her, okay?

I was told to go by her. She said it was her fault this happened but it's not.

It's mine.

I should've been making sure nothing happened to her." Po answered her sadly.

"Okay let's go!" Tigress said as she and the Furious Five joined them.

"Thanks guys. I knew you'd help." Leah said.

"_Don't worry Carley we're coming!_

_Tao's going to wish he'd never captured you._

_It wasn't your fault what happened while trying to save Po's Dad._

_You fought bravely like a Dragon Warrior should._

_If anything happens to you, I'd never forgive myself!" _she thought as they set off.

Melody watched as Carley transformed from dragon form back into human form because she was so exhausted from trying to summon the power to be strong inside.

There were blood red kanjis on both her thin arms and a green dragon symbol on her fore head.

"She's cute as a mortal in a freakish way." She told her.

Tao smiled as he saw a vision of Po and the others heading this way.

"The other Dragon Warrior and his friends are nearly here.

We must keep her alive to use her as a bargaining chip for what I want." Tao told them.

Melody understood as she saw the Furious Five crash through the walls.

Po and Leah were near the cage where Carley was lying out cold.

Both of them were shocked by the various wounds and bruises over her.

Tears fell from Leah's eyes at that as she broke the bamboo bars with anger.

"Hey it'll be alright. She'll be fine.

It's your mission to get her back to the Jade Palace so she can heal.

If any of Tao's little friends get in your way, stop them using chakra." Po said to her.

"Right! I won't let you down!" Leah replied as she disappeared out of there.

Po then struck a karate stance as he faced Melody.

Charming cackled as he followed Leah with Carley to the Jade Palace so he could get his revenge on them.

"_Please hang on. We're nearly there!_

_I won't let anything stop me!" _Leah thought as they reached the Jade Palace.

Leah then flew up the stairs using chakra and landed in front of the doors of the Jade Palace.

She opened them and ran inside to the infirmary.

She then laid her friend in a bed and hooked up machines to her.

"Hello Leah.

Fancy meeting you freaks in China." Charming said to her.

"Get away from me you loser!" she yelled making a shield in front of Carley.

"Oh I see!

You still love her.

I won't rest until you're dead!" he yelled rushing toward her with a kunai but she dodged it by disappearing.

"Where did she go?" he asked himself but was sent flying by an unseen fist.

"That's for hurting my friend!" Leah told him appearing clutching the kunai Charming had dropped on the floor.

She was growling in anger facing him.

"What're you going to do? Finish me?" Charming asked smiling.

"I might seeing all you do is evil." Leah replied growling.

"You don't have the guts! Inside you're trembling!

Admit it!" Charming yelled.

But then she heard him scream as bright blue light surrounded him.

It was coming from Carley's body and aura.

Leah smiled at that. She was using her Dragon Warrior powers to help her.

She watched as Charming faded but wondered where happened to him.

She breathed slowly as she approached her friend's side and kissed her on the lips.

Her eyes began to open.

Blue light shone in them.

"Hey Leah did I miss anything?" Carley said softly to her.

Leah answered with a hug.

"No you didn't. I'm so glad you're awake!" she said as Po and the others arrived with various scratches and cuts.

"Hey you're alright! We... were worried about you." Po said softly.

Tigress watched as he was with Leah talking to Carley.

There was something she wanted to tell him but was trying to muster the courage to...


End file.
